Law & Order
by FluppyGoo
Summary: The battle at Hogwarts ended with lots of casualties on both sides and The-Boy-Who-Lived-Twice must find closure. (Alternative Ending to Deathly Hallows) One-Shot


**Disclaimer:**

 **I _DOn'T_ own " _Harry Potter_ " or anything related to it.**

 **XXX**

In Dumbledore's office Harry waited for a new dawn through the window of the second floor with his best lifelong friends, Ron and Hermione. His stomach roared, maybe he should not have thought of that sandwish. He told himself.

"Come," Harry heard the footsteps of his friends down the stairs behind him, "Where?" Asked Ron curiously stopping Hermione on her tracks, "mate, you should rest..."

"I'm fine, Ron." Harry said. "I think Ron's right Harry, we should rest, anything else can wait until tomorrow." Harry noticed Hermione holding Ron's hand. "I'll meet you later, on the castle entrance."

"Bloody Hell, is he even human?" Harry heard a slip of Ron's whispered to Hermione, but he ignored it and continued. He soon passed the hallways, and the staircase down to the main hall.

The wounded were aided and the dead were no longer on the ground as he passed. It was something horrendous that marked Harry. Even do Voldemort's body was removed from the chamber hall with the others, Harry didn't felt victorious, the only thing on his mind were the bodies of Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and fifty others students, teachers and Aurors who had died fighting Voldemort.

He clenched his fist, and sat at the end of the table, McGonagall had replaced the House tables, and food was given to the "victors". Harry had picked up a sandwich from the table, swirled around, only to remember that moment on the train when he met Ron for the first time. He could have ended up as one of the subordinates of the Dark Lord, had he not rejected Draco Malfoy's hand.

The trance ended when the Aurors passed by. "Kingsley, I need to talk to you." the sandwich lay forgotten. "Harry, I have news." His hearth sank, what happened now? Were there more casualties? He asked himself. "I have been pointed Acting Minister."

There was a stop and he answered, "That's great." Harry smiled relieved from burdens he didn't needed. "Harry, this isn't a time for celebration. Is a time for lament, for our friends, our brothers, our family, that time long past. We need to rebuild and begin anew."

Harry knew this very well, however, his meaning of celebration was different. His face dropped, once he came to reason. Kingsley continued, "Which leads me to ask you, the Ministry of Magic needs people like you now more than never, so I'll be taking some restrictions down, will you be taking the Auror application after this?" Shacklebolt sat next to him.

Harry swallowed, his dream was so close. Harry knew he did not deserved a reward, because he defeated the Dark Lord. He wanted to earned the right of entry on his own. But..."I-I ..." his words cut short when he felt Kingsley hand on his shoulder. "Is not gonna be easy, boy. We do not simply hand you a trophy for saving the world." Harry shared a briefly smile, and nodded to him. "I'll try my best, sir."

Kingsley stood up, ready to leave, only to turned around towards Harry, "Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, sir. The Elder Wand ...I -" Harry stood up, his hand trembling with the most powerful wand in existence.

"I see. You want to return it. Come to my office when you're ready." With that Kingsley left Harry alone.

Harry lost track of time, the other Wizards who were not tending to the wounded were repairing the castle's walls from the inside. Of course, Harry could have done it alone, arrange the whole castle with the Elder Wand, but he did not want to be tempted to keep it.

"Harry." He heard Hermione, she was standing next to Ron under the main entrance of the castle.

"Congratulations are in order. I never had the chance to do it." Said Harrry with a half smile. "Don't be jercky, Harry." Ron replied before they both blushed, Hermione specially tried to hide it, lowering her head, Ron just smiled back at Harry.

"And what are you two going to do now?" Said Harry, looking down. "Well, back to school of course. We still have a year to go." Hermione replied. "And you Ron?" Harry asked directly to him. "I will take the offer of the Minister. He is recruiting anyone who fought againts Voldermort and his army. I will take the application to be an Auror." Ron replied, wearing a face of guilt towards Hermione.

Hermione had gave him a serious look. "What!?" Ron asked. "I can not believe you, Ron. Seriously?"

"I will too, but first I will take a few days off, to visit the Dursleys, I need to tell them that the war is over, that they no longer need to hide, and then I will go to the ministry to fill the application."

"What about the Elder Wand, did you give it to Kingsley?" Asked Hermione alarmed, Harry took the Elder Wand out and replied, "No. I'll take it personally to where it belongs."

"Auror, huh, I never thought the child who did not know anything about our world, was to become an Auror." Said a voice behind them. "Malfoy, what the bloody hell do you want here? Go hide in the castle again like a coward." Ron replied.

"I ... I just regretted it." Draco said.

"Don't you think it's too late to apologize!?" Ron had went forward with his fist high ready to hit Malfoy, but was stop by Hermione. "Please, don't hit me again." Draco covered his face. "You're not worth it." Ron seized on to Hermione. "Ron, let it go." Shouted Harry.

"You're lucky, you and your family should be rotting in Azkaban." Ron frowned.

"I am truly, sorry." Draco clappled his hands together and slowly walked away. "Ron, you didn't need to be so mean to him. Don't you think he had enough." said Hermione, "We all have!" Ron shouted, "Freddie is dead because of him!" Hermione had slap him, leaving his cheeks red. "Unbelievable." She walked off to the castle, leaving Ron alone with Harry.

"His mother saved my life. if it wasn't for her ...Voldemort would had kill me. She lied to him, for the sake of her son." Harry told him, placing the Elder Wand inside his brown jacket.

"You really want me to forgive him." Ron swiped the rocks from the floor aside while not adressing at Harry. "He is a good person, just influenced by the wrong people." Ron nodded to him responsed.

"I'll send you a letter, Ron." With a loud crack Harry disappeared and reappeared on 4 Privet Drive.

Harry walked the street alone, at the end of the street where his sight reached, there was a commotion, there were people talking, Muggles. Harry walked among the mob to find himself not with his large two-story house and its front gardens where his uncle sowed agapanthi and pansies, but with a broken down house. Harry knew in his heart that this was the work of Voldemort.

He looked everywhere, but he saw no wizards in the crowd. Reporters, policemen and gossipers were the only ones in the streets. Harry walked back from the crowd, he stop near a sign and cleaned his face with the sleeve of his shirt. They aren't here. Good. He told himself. Realizing that the Ministry must know where they went.

He continued walking down the street when the cold air had attached to his skin, inside a tunnel even when it was daytime, it appeared to be nighttime. Thick white mist came out of his mouth and he stopped. Dementors? He asked himself. No. The end of the tunnel was cased in ice. The exit blocked. "Turn around and face me." Said a voice from behind Harry, he slowly follow the order, his heart beated as he turned around to meet this mysterious person with the roaring voice.

Harry did not recognize his stalker, of course not, no one could have. The man wore a kneel-lenght dark crimson coat with a hood and a mask covered his face, it had a smooth white surface, with the only feature being a bilateral black line down the middle, separating the mask into two portions. Below his open coat he weared black pants, gloves, boots and undershirt.

"Isn't it too early for Halloween?" Harry asked, but he received no answered.

"GLAYseeus!" said the attacker causing the air in front of his wand to reach extreme temperatures.

"ProTAYgoh!" Harry countered the ice which dissipated as soon as it hit Harry's shield.

"Where is the Elder Wand?" Voldemort followers wanted revenge against Harry or so Harry assumed on the spot. Logical, but a bit mad for the one doing the deed. "Voldemort is dead. The Aurors are coming for the rest of you." said Harry using a nonverbal Expelliarmus continuously. The hood figure kept blocking his overwhelming rapid attacks and Disappeared from the scene.

Harry was breathless, his lungs felt like freezing, and he held his hands on his knees. The ice wall behind him exploded. "Harry, are you okay!?" Kingsley had appeared on the road. "Just ...another one of Voldemort's followers." Kingsley walked to Harry, "Come, let's go to the Ministry." Very soon, the street were deserted once again, and the loud crack in the tunnel was heard by the neighborhood.

A day later, he woke up in a small room, he washed his face on the sink and look at himself in the mirror. He had spend the night at the Ministry of Magic.

"Good morning," said Harry opening the door, Kingsley awaited him on his office.

"Morning, Harry. Here, sit down." he pointed to a black furnoture on front of his deck, to his right, Harry sat on it. "Are you ready to take the exams, or are you going to take the Elder Wand to its resting place, first?" said Kingsley joining his hands together over the table.

"Sir, I was planning on visiting my relative, to tell them that the war is won, and that they no longer need to hide." Said Harry, looking at a strange outfit on Kingsley's desk.

"Oh, yes. Your muggle relatives ...Hestia and Dedalus were in charge of their protection. They would had received the news by now." Said Kingsley.

"With your permission, sir, I would like to go personally ... our last conversation was not the best in the world."

"Where will you go, they may not be there anymore. How will you know where they went?"

"I've a feeling, sir. I think I know where they went."

"As you wish, Harry, but first I have something for you. It will be better if you clean and change your clothes. Dressing professionally, will make you look like a different person." Kingsley extended his arm and moved the unusual uniform on his desk to Harry.

"Sir, that's a Sgt Pepper suit? From Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." said Harry with the uniform on his hands.

"You notice. Well, things are about to change around here now that I am in charge. Sgt Pepper's clothes are repurposed marching band uniforms for muggles, yes. But to us, those black uniforms are meant to remind one of charmingly old-fashioned military dress and will be the new Auror uniform for those in training."

"Charming," said Harry not amused by the news. His uncle will have a heart attack when he finds out that the wizarding police recruits dress like a 60's rock band.

"Harry, don't forget your suit trousers, and your tactical footwear." Kingsley handed him the black trousers and the black boots that resembled those of the military police.

A few minutes later, Harry was in the shower, bare skin receiving the drops of water on his back. His eyes closed, he saw, Hogwarts, he heared the shouting, he felt the pain, saw the destruction, remembered the sting of fear, the sentiment of hatred, watched despair, and love he woke up briefly as he remembered Ginny's lips. After a few deep breaths he closed the shower faucet and went out.

He almost finished dressing, he was tucking his black pants into their closed boots when he heard a knock on the door. "Harry are you ready?" Kingsley spoke behind the door.

"I would like to go alone, thank you."

"Then-"

"I'll come back once I take the Elder Wand to where Dumbledore is resting."

A loud crack was heard by Kingsley, he knew instantly, Harry had disapparate from the room.

Harry was standing on a large rock way out at sea. In front of him lay the most miserable little hut he could imagine. I still had that strong seaweed smell from sixteen years ago. The wind was blowing harder, and Harry headed for the door. He raised his hand ready to knock on the door, but he stopped. He could not do it. He hated this family, for everything that he went through. But why? Why did he returned? Was it because he felt the need to come back and see them again? No. He could not hide it. It was obvious. He wanted to close this chapter of his life, have closure, and be able to move forward.

Before he could had decided, someone had opened the door, it was no one else than Vernon Dursley. The bag of popcorn in his hands fell to the ground, and the birds that were in the rocks behind Harry fluttered their wings and flew north.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing here boy!? Is been almost a year since you took the house from us, didn't you had enough!?" Uncle Vernon's eyes narrowed, and the door slammed in Harry's face.

"That went well." Harry smiled to himself and walked away. He stopped at the edge of the small rock with his hands in his pockets, and looked at the sun raising from the ocean. The breeze blew against his face, causing his eyes to shrivel. Could it be worth staying? he asked himself. Part of him really wanted to leave and never comeback, but what was this filling of guilt? His very being hurted him. His thoughts were a jungle.

"Hey, boy ..." Vernon's voice stings his ears again. Turning, he saw Petunia and Dudley behind Vernon. "Is it true ... that those freaks are not hunting us anymore?" Asked Petunia between phrases.

"No." Said Harry.

"What about the house, boy... I can not continue paying monthly for this old rock."

"There is no house. It was destroyed by Voldemort."

"Oh God, I need to sit down ..."

"The Ministry of Magic will take care of everything, and in a few days you will receive a letter about the state of the house."

"You little demon, you should be the one fixing it!" Shouted Uncle Vernon trying to get up from the rocks.

"Is not something I can not fix ... but I do not want to put "deadly traps" in your rooms."

"You.."

"Besides, I'm almost of age. I won't be coming back. I've money, a house, and a job waiting for me."

"Job? What Job? Nonesense. Who would give a Job to you?" Vernon laughed.

Harry smiled back at him, making Vernon drop his mocking face.

"Muggles would call it, Military Police."

"Hah, it was time you grow up ...I hope they finally make you learn respect, boy!"

Uncle Vernon continued with his impassive and endless sermons. Harry closed his eyes, stayed in his own thoughts, ignoring the cries of his ranting Uncle. He was sure that his Aunt who made mistakes on her lifetime, just blame them on him, his Uncle did not like him at all, maybe he looked too much like James. Something Severus told him once.

"I'm sorry ... I apologize for everything." Harry swallowed, leaving his uncles quietly, when was the last time he apologized? He was not quite sure. "Anyway, I'm leaving." "Wait. Will you visit us for Christmas?" Dudley finally had spoken, and he was not interupted by his parents, they stood shocked.

"Sure, Dudley." Harry Potter adressed them one last time, and then the Dursleys heard it, the loud crack, he had disapparated.

Harry found himself on the outskirts of the castle. Hogwarts was still under construction, but he had no doubt that regular classes would be running again in a few days. He ignored the witches and wizards around him and headed for the shores of the lake, where the white tomb rested.

Upon arriving he noticed that the tomb was repaired after the events that let the Dark Lord to steal the Elder Wand. With a soft movement of his wand the tomb opened and the lid floated over it. Harry stepped closer and placed the Elder Wand beside Dumbledore's body.

"I'm sorry ..." he said. Harry closed the lid with another movement of his wand and he knelt down before the grave. He placed his free hand on the grave and tears streamed down his left eye, his heartbeat had increased.

"I ... I swear that as long as there is breath in my body, I will not let anything happen between the two worlds that you loved and fought to protect." Harry swallowed.

"My journey has just begun, I do not know what awaits me out there, the world is bigger than a man can hold on his shoulders, but I do promise to keep them all alive with every bit of my strength... as you did for us." Harry remained silent for the rest of the day, sitting on a rock near the white tomb, gazing at the sunset behind the mountains.

Harry took the decision to leave after having cleared his thoughts, he apparated in the Ministry of Magic, the magic barriers that prevented apparition inside the ministry were still destroyed since the Death Eaters seized the ministry. Harry was glad for it, otherwise, it would had been a pain to travel. He walked down the aisles of the library and without deviating, went straight to Kingsley's office.

"Sir, I'm ready." Harry looked at Kingsley with a face fill with certainty. "Dumbledore was right about you, all this time. Tom Riddle did a lot of great and extraordinary things. Bad and terrible things, but daunting." Kingsley said, "You boy will do a lot more than him, I'm sure. Just like Dumbledore predicted. And unlike Tom, your deeds will go down in history."

Kingsley got out of his chair, and went to Harry's side. "Come." He placed his arm over Harry's shoulders and walked with him towards the vestibule. When they left the elevator, the only thing they saw were flashes of light, "Reporting for the Daily Prophet..." Harry recognized the familiar figure, and he wished he hadn't. "Harry Potter, here you stand, almost a man..." Rita Skeeter had began her bias report, and Harry stomach revolted.

"...about to join the Auror office who is not only a job for someone vastly more emotionally mature than yourself, but as someone who got the job as a reward for defeating ...you know who. Concerned?" He knew it, anything said by him would be obviously twisted backwards. It was not gonna be easy, but he was going to fight for everything he sought to protect.

The next day, every single wizard in England had read the tittle of the Daily Prophet.

"Auror Potter"


End file.
